1
as in wicked
tending to or exhibiting reckless playfulness
the children had been so mischievous that we had to pay the babysitter extra and then clean up the mess
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in naughty
engaging in or marked by childish misbehavior
punished for their mischievous tricks on the neighbors
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in dangerous
causing or capable of causing harm
mischievous gossip that ruined a good teacher's reputation
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mischievous
Your 5th House of Discovery brightens as mischievous Mercury conjoins the life-giving Sun.
—
Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 7 Mar. 2026
But of course, the mischievous Cat in the Hat can only save the day in typical Seussian fashion.
—Sarah Scott, Parents, 27 Feb. 2026
That the Fendons don’t think to immediately tell their devastated adult son, Harry (Craig Roberts), that his dad is still alive is only the first delightfully absurd wrinkle in this mischievous black comedy.
—Judy Berman, Time, 27 Feb. 2026
There were also mischievous chants in praise of Dejphon Chansiri, the Thai businessman whose ruinous decade-long reign at Hillsborough ended in rancour and then administration last October.
—Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mischievous
Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 7 Mar. 2026
But of course, the mischievous Cat in the Hat can only save the day in typical Seussian fashion.
—Sarah Scott, Parents, 27 Feb. 2026
That the Fendons don’t think to immediately tell their devastated adult son, Harry (Craig Roberts), that his dad is still alive is only the first delightfully absurd wrinkle in this mischievous black comedy.
—Judy Berman, Time, 27 Feb. 2026
There were also mischievous chants in praise of Dejphon Chansiri, the Thai businessman whose ruinous decade-long reign at Hillsborough ended in rancour and then administration last October.
—Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mischievous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mischievous
Adjective
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Datebook Picks The wicked original was a black satire with ripping action and a kick-ass lead played with intelligence.—
Michael Ordoña,
San Francisco Chronicle,
18 Mar. 2026
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Like Becky Sharp, the willful, wicked lead of William Makepeace Thackeray’s Vanity Fair, Heidi rolled her eyes at her dutiful counterpart.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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These plays are often brilliant, and even lesser variants are fun to watch, because piñata-whacking itself is a naughty thrill, a cathartic fantasy for anyone with a family and/or a secret.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
12 Mar. 2026
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Having been warned that a former child prodigy is coming to town, Salieri first happens to spy Mozart playing a naughty game of hide-and-seek with his wife-to-be, Constanze Weber (Lauren Worsham), in and out of her skirt.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The private weather service AccuWeather calculated that more than 200 million people were under threat Monday of some kind of dangerous weather.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
17 Mar. 2026
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Prominent quartz slab makers acknowledge that processing produces dangerous dust, but claim risks are avoidable.—
Ethan Baron,
Mercury News,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The fashion icon made a playful reference to the film while presenting the award for best makeup and hairstyling alongside Hathaway.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
16 Mar. 2026
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The collection was still as sexy as ever though, with the playful print appearing on itty-bitty bikinis, barely-there blouses, and, as seen here in look 3, low-slung trousers.—
Rosie Jarman,
Vogue,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Nobody paid much attention to weather forecasts because winter days were usually the same and, if different, just worse.—
Bradley Gitz,
Arkansas Online,
16 Mar. 2026
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Jokic eagerly took advantage of bad transition defense, looking for long outlet passes to Braun and Bruce Brown.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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This method takes too long—by the time the soup is fully thawed, there is a high risk that harmful bacteria have already grown.—
Riley Wofford,
Martha Stewart,
16 Mar. 2026
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This can introduce impurities or harmful microorganisms to the bathroom environment as a result.—
Ethan Stone,
USA Today,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Once again pointing to a mature take on something nostalgic , body mists aren’t regaled to to being impish starter scents.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
16 Mar. 2026
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Nicholson's portrayal of a rebellious mental hospital inmate is a phenomenal combination of sly intelligence and impish braggadocio, best showcased during the scene where, thwarted in his attempt to watch the World Series on TV, McMurphy ad libs a commentary in front of a blank set.—
Devan Coggan,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Honeycutt noted that the executive order came just days before the House Agriculture Committee was considering a five-year farm bill that would shield manufacturers from litigation related to adverse health impacts when the chemicals are used in accordance with federal law.—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,
USA Today,
14 Mar. 2026
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Short-term exposure by inhalation can cause headaches, dizziness, nausea, fatigue respiratory irritation and other adverse health effects, according to the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
Video
'Mispronunciations' That May Be Fine
'Mischievous,' 'nuclear,' and other words to pronounce with caution.
Cite this Entry
“Mischievous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mischievous. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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